Post-workout Shake?

sittingduck180

Should I still drink a post-workout protein shake if I'm trying to lose weight?

On the one hand, you're supposed to replenish, etc, etc after a workout so that your body can build muscle and be ready for the next workout, but on the other hand the post-workout shake is part of the instructions for gaining weight! Insights?

Abrasue

I do. the protein is worth the calories. I just do 1 scoop mix with water.

gates1064

I do too one scoop with Coconut milk.

beverlyl64

I highly recommend the P90X Results and Recovery drink. It taste like an orange push pop.

RoanneRed

Post-workout shake should be designed to gain lean muscle - the best kind of 'weight' as it will increase your base metabolic rate and make it easier for your body to burn off the fat.

gp79

just be sure your shake isn't more calories than what you burned in your workout.

carolynmittens

i've heard so many different insights on this topic. one trainer told me the ONLY thing that builds muscle is the act of strength training itself, and as long as you're eating enough protein throughout the day, it's not necessary to eat anything after a workout. i've read from quite a few sources that you only need to replenish your body after a workout if the workout is strenuous and longer than 90 minutes. most people here will tell you you muuuust replenish after a workout - but most people on this site aren't personal trainers i'd say it's not necessary, just eat a balanced diet of lots of veggies, fruits and lean protein and you won't need to mess with shakes or supplements.

carl1738

If it's a cardio workout, skip the shake. If you're strength training, it's important to ingest some kind of protein shortly after working out to help your muscles recover from the workout. It doesn't matter if it's a shake or a chicken sandwich. I usually workout just before lunch, so that helps, as I'm not taking in "extra" calories.

abalicious

just be sure your shake isn't more calories than what you burned in your workout.

Agree.

angelicdisgrace

My trainer has me drink one right after workouts especially when we weight train. It hasn't effected my weight at all in fact it's helped me lose weight or so I think. Protein shakes of course

xmok1980

I've been taking protein shakes for about a month now and what I notice is that I'm less sore the day after and I have more defined and toned muscles

RangerSteve

Post-workout shake should be designed to gain lean muscle - the best kind of 'weight' as it will increase your base metabolic rate and make it easier for your body to burn off the fat.

Not really.

The calories in the shake matter very little compared to the calories you take in during the day. If you have a 200 calorie shake after a workout and eat 200 calories less somewhere else during the day, that 200 calories after the workout isn't going to magically make weight loss impossible, even if you only burned 100 calories working out.

Fit the shake into your daily calorie goals and it's fine.

RangerSteve

I've been taking protein shakes for about a month now and what I notice is that I'm less sore the day after and I have more defined and toned muscles

Part of that might be from the high leucine content in the protein shake. (assuming you're talking about a protein shake)

Leucine triggers your mTOR pathway which is a metabolic pathway that tells your cells to start building/repairing muscle. So if you have a diet that is decently high in leucine (protein shakes, eggs, beef, etc) then your cells can build/recover faster and that should lead to increased recovery.

RangerSteve

i've heard so many different insights on this topic. one trainer told me the ONLY thing that builds muscle is the act of strength training itself, and as long as you're eating enough protein throughout the day, it's not necessary to eat anything after a workout. i've read from quite a few sources that you only need to replenish your body after a workout if the workout is strenuous and longer than 90 minutes. most people here will tell you you muuuust replenish after a workout - but most people on this site aren't personal trainers i'd say it's not necessary, just eat a balanced diet of lots of veggies, fruits and lean protein and you won't need to mess with shakes or supplements.

The first trainer was correct, assuming that you're not doing multiple training sessions per day. This is why things like the warrior diet and other semi-fasting/fasting based diets can still work. If you end up hitting your micro/macronutrient needs over the course of the day, it's not going to matter so much whether or not you have that protein shake right after working out. A lot of the "science" that talks about anabolic windows and muscle building is from protein companies looking to sell more protein. It's similar to the studies from years ago saying eggs were terrible for you. Nevermind that those studies are funded by the corn companies that make breakfast cereals and have a competing interest in breakfast food.

If you're doing a double day workout, it's very important that you replenish your glycogen stores as well as promote muscle recovery, especially if the workouts are intense. If it's just a walk in the park, it shouldn't be a big deal. So yes, your first trainer was correct assuming you aren't overdoing it.

ghoztt

I only do a protein shake after my weight training days as I was told it would reduce my soreness and so far it's been great! I still feel 'tight' around the areas I worked out but it's not unbearable. Before I started adding protein I would be so sore the next few days that it would be painful just to try and straighten my arms. I had been using the GNC Pro Performance Wheybolic Extreme 60 (thats not the full name either) and the vanilla flavor was great but I found a deal on a big tub of Twinlab Whey Protein and unfortunately I'm not too fond of the chocolate flavor. It was 1/3 of the price than the GNC stuff so I'll stick it out and maybe try their vanilla next.